News Releases

High temperatures and humidity can affect power supplies and systems

MINNEAPOLIS - Xcel Energy today reminded its customers that prolonged heat and humidity can affect the reliability of the regional electric system and result in power outages. The reminder is prompted by today’s weather forecast and electricity usage outlook for our region; it is not related to or prompted by last week’s outages in the Northeast.

High temperature and dew-point conditions sustained over several days prompt people to increase their use of air conditioners and fans, thereby increasing the demand for electricity.

“Even though Xcel Energy is able to generate and purchase enough power for its 1.3 million electricity customers in Minnesota and neighboring states and its transmission and distribution systems are intact, we can be affected by events elsewhere in the Upper Midwest region because our systems are interconnected,” said Kent Larson, Xcel Energy’s state vice president for Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.  “Additionally, a long hot spell, coupled with high demand, puts stress on our own transmission and distribution systems and can cause equipment to break down.

“During heat waves, we supply electricity to meet our customers’ needs by running our power plants at full capacity and buying additional power from other utilities, which requires transporting the power through regional transmission lines. If a significant incident occurs, such as the loss of a major generator or transmission facility on our system or elsewhere in the region, we may need to seek additional help from our customers through voluntary energy conservation.”

Xcel Energy expects electricity demand by its customers in the Upper Midwest to exceed 8,325 megawatts today. The company’s record peak demand in the Upper Midwest is 8,349 megawatts, which was set on Aug. 6, 2001. Last summer’s peak was 8,259 megawatts, reached on July 30, 2002.

Outages that occur because of excessive heat generally affect scattered pockets of customers, so it’s important for Xcel Energy customers to report them by calling 1-800-895-1999, which features an automated power-outage reporting system. This system allows customers to report an outage in about a minute, and efficiently transmits the information to Xcel Energy dispatchers so crews can be scheduled as soon as they are available.

The Saver’s Switch program allows Xcel Energy by remote control to cycle participating customers’ central air conditioning compressors on and off at 15-minute intervals during times of high electric demand. Nearly 300,000 residential and business customers in Xcel Energy’s five-state service area in the Upper Midwest participate in the program. Participants receive discounts on their electricity bills from June through September. The program can reduce peak demand by about 343 megawatts, which helps Xcel Energy avoid building new power plants or purchasing expensive energy from other utilities.

Following are some tips on how to keep cool while conserving energy on hot days:

• Keep your shades pulled and doors and windows closed during the day.
• Use a microwave oven instead of a conventional electric oven or gas stove.
• Set the thermostat on your central air conditioner to 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
• Supplement air-conditioner use with ceiling fans and other fans, which creates a wind-chill effect that increases air-conditioning cooling efficiency.
• Postpone use of appliances such as washers, dryers and dishwashers until after 10:30 p.m.
• Take shorter showers.
• Dry clothes outside.

During periods of hot, humid weather, it's also a good idea to check on elderly or ill friends, neighbors and family members who live alone to make sure they're OK.

For more energy-saving tips, visit Xcel Energy's Web site at www.xcelenergy.com.